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Fusion drive: Difference between revisions
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The primary component of a fusion drive is a [[fusion reactor]] or a series of reactors. The [[plasma]] generated by the reactors is channeled into a series of exhaust manifolds, which vector it into the ship's engine nozzles. The drive exhaust serves as reaction mass, providing propulsion for the ship. The main components of the fusion drive are typically located in a ship's [[engineering]].<ref name="maw"/> | The primary component of a fusion drive is a [[fusion reactor]] or a series of reactors. The [[plasma]] generated by the reactors is channeled into a series of exhaust manifolds, which vector it into the ship's engine nozzles. The drive exhaust serves as reaction mass, providing propulsion for the ship. The main components of the fusion drive are typically located in a ship's [[engineering]].<ref name="maw"/> | ||
The number of fusion engines varies between ship classes. [[UNSC frigate]]s are typically equipped with two primary reactors<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Delta Halo (level)|Delta Halo]]'' (''"Both engine cores have spun to zero."'')</ref> and at least another two secondary reactors,<ref>'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 275''</ref> while {{Class|Halcyon|light cruiser}}s are powered by an array of four fusion reactors.<ref name="maw"/> Larger ships, such as the mobile hospital {{UNSCShip|Hopeful}}, could possess as many as six reactors.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 97''</ref> The number of engine exhausts also varies greatly; ships usually have two or more primary adjacent exhaust nozzles, and a series of smaller, secondary ones. | The number of fusion engines varies between ship classes. [[UNSC frigate]]s are typically equipped with two primary reactors<ref>'''Halo 2''', campaign level ''[[Delta Halo (level)|Delta Halo]]'' (''"Both engine cores have spun to zero."'')</ref> and at least another two secondary reactors,<ref name="fs275">'''Halo: First Strike''', ''page 275''</ref> while refit {{Class|Halcyon|light cruiser}}s are powered by an array of four fusion reactors.<ref name="maw"/> Larger ships, such as the mobile hospital {{UNSCShip|Hopeful}}, could possess as many as six reactors.<ref>'''Halo: Ghosts of Onyx''', ''page 97''</ref> The number of engine exhausts also varies greatly; ships usually have two or more primary adjacent exhaust nozzles, and a series of smaller, secondary ones. Fusion reactors are powered by reactions between [[hydrogen]] isotopes, including [[deuterium]].<ref name="fs275"/> | ||
==Development history== | ==Development history== | ||
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==Other uses== | ==Other uses== | ||
Fusion drives can also be used as improvised weapons. A ship's captain possesses the codes necessary to initiate fusion core overload in their [[command neural interface]], but reactor destabilization can also be initiated manually. Though the fusion reactors are protected by magnetic containment fields which surround the fusion cells, they can be destabilized by explosive ordnance once the exhaust couplings protecting the reactors have been retracted. Significant amount of damage to the engines will result in a "wildcat destabilization", a state which will cause reactor detonation within minutes. The most notable instance of this was when [[John-117]] destroyed [[Installation 04]] by overloading the fusion reactors of the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}.<ref name="maw"/> | [[File:POA-Destruction.jpg|thumb|The ''Pillar of Autumn''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s reactors detonating.]] | ||
Fusion drives can also be used as improvised weapons. A ship's captain possesses the codes necessary to initiate fusion core overload in their [[command neural interface]], but reactor destabilization can also be initiated manually. Though the fusion reactors are protected by magnetic containment fields which surround the fusion cells, they can be destabilized by explosive ordnance once the exhaust couplings protecting the reactors have been retracted. Significant amount of damage to the engines will result in a "wildcat destabilization", a state which will cause reactor detonation within minutes. The overloading of a starship's reactors will cause a massive explosion, with a temperature of over 100,000,000 degrees. The most notable instance of this was when [[John-117]] destroyed [[Installation 04]] by overloading the fusion reactors of the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}.<ref name="maw"/> | |||
==List of appearances== | ==List of appearances== | ||